Hue was the imperial capital of Vietnam for nearly 150 years under the Nguyen Dynasty, and the city still carries that weight. The Perfume River bisects the city — the massive Imperial Citadel and its Forbidden Purple City sit on the north bank, while the French colonial quarter, markets, and tourist hotels spread along the south. UNESCO declared the complex of monuments a World Heritage Site in 1993, calling Hue "a masterpiece of urban poetry."
The Citadel was badly damaged during the Tet Offensive in 1968, and the scars are still visible. Only a handful of the original fifty royal buildings survive, but walking through the ruins — some restored, some left in their half-destroyed state — is one of the most powerful experiences in Vietnam. South of the city, the tombs of the Nguyen emperors line the riverbanks in a "Valley of the Kings" you can explore by bicycle, motorbike, or boat: the romantic lotus-pond complex of Tu Duc Tomb, the formal grandeur of Minh Mang Tomb, and the ornate concrete-and-mosaic Khai Dinh Tomb. The Thien Mu Pagoda, upstream from the city, is the most photographed building in Hue after the Citadel gate.
Hue is also a food city. The imperial court cuisine created a tradition of elaborate, beautifully presented dishes, and the street food is some of the best in Vietnam — bún bò Huế (spicy beef noodle soup), bánh khoái (crispy stuffed pancakes), and dozens of small rice cakes and dumplings you will not find elsewhere. Dong Ba Market is the best single place to try them all.